Archive for June, 2014

Summer has arrived in my local area, with temperatures in the 98f/36c range with 90%+ humidity expected this week, though things have been hot here since June began.

July is named after that all around skilled politician Julius Caesar in his re-formalization of the Roman Calendar creating the Julian Calender (which, naturally, is named for him too). So, in honor of Caesar, we shall be looking at governments, organization and people of ambition in the Sea of Stars. As usual, if there is a particular subject you would like to know more about or see more of, please let me know.

Looking back over June, which was -as it happens- the fifth anniversary of this Journal, it was a fairly light month for posting but did see the following:

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All of the Player’s Options products for the various races from Four Winds Publishing / Purple Duck Game share a structure: They start with variants of the race, add new feats, optional flaws, and new equipment to provide more options to those playing the race. Let us see what is in these two:Read the rest of this entry ?

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Continuing their investigation of the imbalance in the Valley of Two Generals, our heroes having learned that the wood carvers is probably behind the attempted murder by blood magic of the Hare, they decide to pursue the carver. Questioning of the villagers does not turn up much beyond that his wife died due to disease over the winter and that there is a merchant that often buys his shadow puppets who has not been through recently. A search of the wood carvers shop turns up nothing useful though some of the tools are obviously missing.

They follow his trail to one of the small villages on the edge of the valley where the carver often went to buy raw materials. They get sidetracked in chasing down the male villagers who have retreated to secret enclaves in the hills to avoid being conscripted by the ravenous Lion war machine, instead preferring to help their families by gathering wood and food from the forested hills. They confront the rogue villagers, after capturing one, and decide to let them be. While technically in violation of Imperial law, the collapse of the local villages will not help the Empire (or even the Lion clan) so they move it into the ‘problems to be solved’ later column.

Returning, tired and a little frustrated, to the village which seemed deserted, though they had talked to people only that morning . . . Our heroes split up to investigate, looking in the headman’s house, the inn and the fields. Then the people appeared, moving in groups in a jerky fashion, obviously not in control of their actions. The group in the inn finds it ignited around them with armed villagers trying to keep them in. The Crane tries to keep the others from killing the villagers as they are not in control of their actions.

The Hare brook free and spots pale smoke coming from the roof of another building, followed by the Boar, they climbed up and confronted the blood magician, who had a full stage of the town and puppets of the villagers. Dark magic flashes, blood is spilled, both to power blood magic and by blades, and the blood magician is slain. The villagers wake from their enspelled slumber and help to fight the flames.

This is reported back to the Lion along with intimations of the desperate plight of the villagers. The problem in the valley seems to be solved for now.

Notes: Yes, this happened some time back thus the short writeup and brief description, my memories of it all is a bit hazy now. The Children of Destiny campaign is currently on hiatus as I work on other projects.

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Racial Ecologies: Living Dolls is a fun source book, while they do not necessarily have a place in all campaign, there are enough options here that a GM should be able to find a way to use one if they want. Equally a short “all toys” campaign would be rather fun using these rules. While there are a few odd bits and one important oversight in the rules proved, overall it is a strong, if niche, addition to the races available for Pathfinder.

Racial Ecologies: Living Dolls is a new “race” for Pathfinder and an unusual one, not a race of flesh and blood but a constructed race animated by magic of various sorts, toys by a child’s love, dolls by dark magic, or other combinations.

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“How do they know our every move?” cursed Sir Morase. “They are simple people, they did not even used iron weapons before we traded with them.”

“They are skilled warriors and brave, my lord,” said his sworn sword. “Do not mistake the lack of metal working skills for lack of intelligence.”

“Enough! They are barbarians and we will defeat them.”

“Yes, my lord,” replied the sworn sword, tossing a stick at the fox rooting around in the camp’s midden.

Fox Cape

These cloaks are made of a mix of heavy cloth, leather and fox fur, the colors are all neutral and blend in easily with most terrain. The fittings are carved bone taken from animals killed by foxes. The fur must be given freely by the fox and blessed in a ceremony.

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Solstice Night is a magical night, the shortest night of the year. In the Northern arc of Eastern Europe, it is celebrated in various ways.

Across the region sacred or magical rituals are enacted, almost all linked with symbols of fertility (the maypole, the wreath) and elements of water and fire. In Belarus girls and boys bathe in lakes, in Sweden they dance around the Maypole, in Poland young maidens dressed in white float flower wreaths with candles – symbols of maidenhood – on the rivers. If the wreath gets caught by a man, the girl will get married soon, while if it floats, she can hope to get married one day but not in the near future. However, if it burns, sinks or gets caught in something, she will never marry. Herbs gathered during this time and considered to be especially effective in combating illness, but none more so than the mythical fern flower.

The fern flower, which only flowers on this one night, and only the the deep forest, can only be found by the most dedicated or most pure or perhaps just the luckiest individuals . . . For the fern flower is potently magical, it brings one or more of the following:

Ability to understand animal speech.

Earthly riches.

Health.

Luck.

Of course, some say the flower is secretly guarded by evil spirits. Others that any blessing gained from the fern flower will be balanced by a curse. Though one that is pure of heart and only using the flower for noble ends will not be punished . . . right?